So it doesn't matter that lots of those fans are agnostic, at the very least, about new basketball coach Steve Alford.

What matters is UCLA's methodology in choosing Alford, and the spectacularly mixed bag he brings to Westwood.

Alford was marginally successful at Iowa, more so at New Mexico.

Two of his Iowa teams won Big Ten tournaments. His past two New Mexico teams have won regular-season and tournament crowns in the Mountain West, in a far tougher league than the Pac-12.

Yet his only Final 16 appearance was at Southwest Missouri State (currently Missouri State), which was a 12th seed in 1999.

This New Mexico team was third-seeded and lost to Harvard in the first round. Alford's '06 Iowa team was also a No. 3 seed and lost to Northwestern (La.) State.

Every coach's overall record is a truer barometer than his March adventures (which isn't stopping USC from chasing Florida Gulf Coast's Andy Enfield).

But UCLA, of course, wants it all, and just fired Ben Howland because he hadn't made a Final 16 since 2008. Howland, of course, went to three consecutive Final Fours.

Alford's escapability is superior to Howland's. When Iowa athletic director Gary Matta said Alford's team must show improvement, Alford quickly improved himself into the New Mexico job.

UCLA AD Dan Guerrero made the same observation 12 months ago, and Howland gambled on one more year, won a Pac-12 regular-season title, and still was fired.

Recently Alford agreed to a 10-year extension at New Mexico, which provided a $1 million buyout if Alford left – except that it doesn't take effect until April 1.

Why leave, with every starter eligible to return?

"Because of those four letters, UCLA," said Alford, who called it the best college coaching job in the nation, which at least indicates he knows the self-delusion of his audience.

A 7-year, $18.2 million offer does not hurt either.

UCLA didn't want a coach who needed an introduction. We all know Alford as the kid who learned math by counting down scoreboard clocks in high school gyms. His dad Sam was his coach in New Castle, Ind., and later his college assistant coach.

He was the lead contestant in Hoosier Idol, a shooter so unerring and clutch that he scored 2,438 points for Indiana. He was the leader of the 1987 NCAA championship team, and is exactly the kind of player every Division I coach craves today.

He was on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, and the state nearly rioted when the Pacers (shrewdly) drafted Reggie Miller instead of Alford.

However, the coaching years have dented Alford's innocence and, indeed, shoved him into more controversial situations than Howland has ever encountered.

Alford, without apparent provocation, called BYU's Jonathan Tavernari an obscene name in the handshake line, following a 2-point New Mexico victory in Provo three seasons ago. One should note that both principals apologized, and Tavernari came to the Lobos' locker room to do so.

The more disturbing incident came at Iowa in 2002, when Pierre Pierce was charged with felony sexual assault but was convicted on a misdemeanor. He served probation and missed a year of play, but Iowa students petitioned the school to expel Pierce.

Later, Alford apologized. Pierce returned to the Hawkeyes. In 2005 he was convicted of two burglary counts and one count of intent to commit sexual assault. At that point Alford dismissed him and Pierce served 332 days in jail.

Meanwhile the Hawkeyes settled into the middle of the Big 10 and were no longer selling out their arena. Alford was judged too aloof for the community, which he and his family found a bit liberal for their taste (wait until they see the West Side).

Yet coaches change. New Mexico's team has done well academically, the Alfords immersed themselves in Albuquerque, and the Lobos won, often with Southern California players, including UCLA transfer Drew Gordon, former UCLA recruit Kendall Williams, and Riverside's Tony Snell.

Guerrero's vision is that Alford will clean up a revitalized L.A. recruiting scene and win with players who stay at least three years. Those goals are mutually exclusive and unrealistic, but that's UCLA.

Piece of advice: If UCLA loses a disappointing first-round game in 2014, no one wants to hear the coach say, "We can't shoot it for them," as the New Mexico coach said last weekend.

But then Steve Alford probably knows he's officially out of the people-pleasing business, as of today.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.